Football

Bucs’ Talib suspended

Tampa, Fla.  Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib will miss the Buccaneers’ regular season opener after being suspended one game without pay for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

The third-year pro and former Jayhawk also was fined one additional game check stemming from Talib punching a cab driver in August 2009. The suspension was announced Tuesday, two days before the club’s preseason finale at Houston.

Talib will sit out the Sept. 12 opener against Cleveland and will be eligible to return to the active roster the following day.

The 24-year-old initially was charged with resisting arrest without violence and simple battery. He later reached a pre-trial intervention agreement on the simple battery charge.

“Since last fall, Aqib has done all that’s been asked of him and more, on and especially off the field,” Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said in a statement. “We look forward to his return to the field in Week 2.”

Arguably the team’s best defensive player, Talib was a first-round draft pick in 2008 and led the Bucs with five interceptions last season.